Page 50 of Grounded (Convergence #1)

Liria would get no help from the Source of Magic, but she was intent on getting Thax to help himself.

She'd gotten through to him the night he had tried to jump.

Now she knew this wasn't just about his loss.

It was about how he thought his loss affected her.

And she could work with that. She could even, if forced to, be vicious about it.

Thax was haunted by his wings. They were ghosts perched on his shoulders. Their claws dug in deep. Always there, but not. Liria was going to banish those angry spirits. She would free him and show him another way to fly.

“Come on, Thax. Help me. Stand up.” Liria pulled on his arm.

He was on the terrace again, as if to taunt her. Or maybe himself. At least he wasn't standing on the wall. Thax had a favorite chair now—one with a wide, tall back that he wouldn't have been able to use before. But now that he had no wings, he could lean back and stare at the sky.

And just rot.

Liria wrinkled her nose. “Get up. You need to take a bath. Damn it, Thax!”

He stood up.

“Thank you.” She took his hand and led him into the house.

His father had been right about what she'd need.

Her, not Thax. Liria needed the support of a staff who cleaned, cooked, and did all the other menial tasks for them.

Taking care of Thax had indeed become a full-time job.

Sure, he mostly just sat in his chair and stared at the sky, but Liria had to watch him now.

Make sure he didn't leap off the terrace.

Fuck, why had she picked a place on a deadly cliff?

She should have chosen somewhere flat. Liria had thought the view would be soothing, but it was the opposite. For both of them.

And the watching was just part of it. There was also feeding, bathing, and clothing her destru.

Every day, Thax seemed to care less about, well, everything.

He wouldn't do anything for himself. Without her pestering him, he'd sit in that chair and waste away.

No, that's not true. Without her, he'd jump.

He told her she had consigned him to a slow death. This was what he meant.

As much as Thax's father had been right, so had his mother.

Liria needed to look after herself as well.

Her moods swung like a pendulum. Not just side to side, but all over the place.

She was hopeful and then despondent. Patient and then frustrated.

Loving and then . . . not. Honestly, there were days when Liria wanted to push Thax off the wall herself.

He would stare at her on those days, as if he knew . . . and hoped she would.

Liria got Thaxvarien into the bathroom and stripped him.

From the smell of him, she'd been putting this off for too long.

But bathing him was hard on her. The first few times, he had cried into the spray, and a naked crying man is not fun.

But after his suicide attempt, he just stood there and let her wash him.

It was like scrubbing a statue. Somehow, that made it even worse.

At least with the crying, Liria knew Thax was still in there.

But this guy—she didn't know who he was.

It could have been anyone wearing Thax's skin.

His skin. Yeah, that was another problem for her.

Because it was smooth and covered a beautiful body.

Liria still desired Thaxvarien. How could she not?

It hadn't been that long since they'd last made love.

Seeing him nude reminded her of him above her.

Inside her. And then she'd see his face and all desire would vanish into disgust. How gross was it to lust after a guy in that state?

“Close your eyes, destru.” Liria brought the soapy cloth up his chest.

Thax closed his eyes. Liria washed his face and then eased his head under the spray. Then it was his hair. It had grown longer. Dear convergence, how long had they been there? Was it two weeks? Three? The days were blending together. Fuck. She was wrong—it had been a while since they'd made love.

Liria dropped the rag with a sob. Thaxvarien didn't notice.

She always bathed with him; might as well get two jobs done at once.

So, she was naked too. Of course, that didn't matter to him.

He barely looked at her anymore. So, he didn't so much as flinch when Liria fell back against the slick wall, hand to her mouth, and cried. Broke down. Just fucking lost it.

It wasn't the first time Liria had lost her composure in front of Thax. He'd held her before, back when there was still something in there. Not anymore. Maybe he resented her too much after she stopped him from jumping. Love and resentment—what a combination.

Suddenly, Liria got angry. Furious. She screamed and shoved him in the chest. “Stop it! Just fucking stop this, Thax! You think you're dying? You're killing me. Dragging me down with you! Fuck your damn wings and fuck you! You've failed me, you asshole!”

Thaxvarien roared. The sound held heartbreak and rage.

It was the cry of a wounded animal protecting its mate.

Or trying to. He came at her through the water, gathered her up, and kissed her.

Hard. Liria didn't care how rough it was.

The teeth bashing into her lips revived her.

She snatched at him as if he might disappear.

Pulled at his flesh. Clawed. Feasted at his lips.

Liria was so fucking hungry for him. For her Thax.

Her destru. She thought he was gone. Motherfucker!

He was still in there. Just turned off to the world.

Like a luminare lantern. His switch was flipped, leaving her in the dark. Alone.

But that switch had just been flicked in the other direction.

The shower stall was huge, made for Aethari, so there was plenty of room for Thax to take Liria out of the spray and down to the cold tiles.

Growling against her lips, he shoved her thighs apart.

It had been so long, and Liria was just starting to respond to his lust. So, when he shoved himself forward, he was met with resistance.

Instead of withdrawing, he slid a hand between them and split her sex.

Savagely working her, he jerked out of their kiss.

“You want to know what I'm feeling? You want me to share it with you? Here it is.” He shoved a finger into her.

Despite his rough treatment, Liria was ready in seconds, and he grunted as he jerked out of her to take himself in hand.

A brutal slam of his hips. Penetration. Then thrusting.

“I am furious! I am rage itself! I hate! That is all I have left. Are you sure you want it?”

Slamming into her, Thax bared his teeth, daring her to deny him.

“I want all of it!” Liria snarled back and lifted her hips. “You're angry? You think you are rage? Well, we do everything together, destru!”

A broken cry clawed up Thax's throat, and he sped up.

The water hitting his lower body burst around him, creating a backdrop of glittering teardrops for his savage visage.

Perfect. Liria wanted it. Anything that wasn't that terrible apathy.

Her body came alive as if it had been in stasis.

All her nerve endings sang—screamed for more.

Her channel clutched at his cock, drawing him deeper.

Thaxvarien had always been so much larger than Liria, looming above her as they made love.

She had assumed it was his wings. But they were gone now, and he still seemed gigantic.

The breadth of Thax's shoulders was nearly twice hers, and all the muscles he had needed for flight were now on full display.

So, there he was, a massive beast pelted by water as he rutted in his mate. It should have horrified her.

Instead, Liria was more aroused than she'd ever been before.

Her orgasm echoed off the tile walls. Body clutching at him both inside and out, Liria finally got the release she needed so badly.

No amount of yelling could have given her that kind of satisfaction.

No punching pillows or slamming things around.

She needed this. Him inside her. Pounding hard.

Taking her anger and love. And Thax needed it too.

Feeling her go over pulled him into her wake.

He slammed forward one last time and locked up against her.

Head thrown back, he gave one last cry, nearly triumphant.

And then he collapsed atop her.

Trembling, his breath catching, Thax buried his face in her neck. “Liri.”

“Thax, don't hide anymore. We can get through this together, but only if you talk to me. Let me in.” Liria nuzzled him.

“I don't care if you need to rage or weep.

Do it. There's no shame between us. I know who you are, destru.

And I love you. Even the parts you don't love. I see them and love them. Just let me share this with you. Let me shoulder some of this weight.”

His face twitched against her skin. Thax shoved himself up and met her stare. There was so much anger in his eyes. Fuck, she hadn't expected that. She had hoped the wild sex would dampen it. Instead, it seemed worse. How much of it was directed at her? Liria brushed a hand over his temple.

Despite how terrifying Thaxvarien looked, she saw it as an improvement. She'd gladly stare into those angry eyes rather than empty ones. “Don't hold back anymore. I can take it.”

“Fuck!” Thax roared and shoved himself to his feet. Dripping wet, he stormed out of the bathroom.

Liria lay there, the cold tiles registering at last, and stared up at the falling water.

They had sex. It had been angry sex, but still sex.

Thax had reacted savagely, but he had reacted.

It felt like a step forward, and still, it exhausted her.

With a sigh, Liria stood up and finished bathing.

She wouldn't let hope grow just yet. But she wouldn't let despair replace it either.